Min-jun woke early the next morning. The city was quiet, but his mind wasn't. Every step outside felt heavier now. He could sense watchers—hunters, guild members, and others he couldn't identify. All observing, all measuring.
Ji-ho was still asleep, sprawled across his small bed. Min-jun looked at him and smiled faintly. "I'll get stronger… I'll make sure you never have to worry."
He activated the system window.
[Player Profile]
Name: Kang Min-jun
Level: 12
Class: Necromancer (Common)
HP: 280 / 280
Mana: 650 / 650
Strength: 15
Agility: 15
Vitality: 20
Intelligence: 35
Luck: 10
Skeleton Storage:
Basic Skeleton x1
Warrior Skeleton x1
Elite Skeleton x1
[Hidden Condition Progress]
Commander Skeleton: 37%
Min-jun took a deep breath. "Time to move forward."
At the Association, the hum of activity was louder than usual. Groups of hunters prepared for dungeons, some laughing, some arguing, and others simply sizing each other up. Above a few heads, levels glowed in different colors. Rare, Epic, even Mythical.
Min-jun felt the pull immediately. One figure stood out.
Level 40.
Class: Death Knight (Epic).
He didn't need to look closely. He could feel the pressure of someone far beyond his level, radiating strength so potent it made his skeletons shiver instinctively in storage.
Seo-ah noticed him stiffen. "You're staring," she said softly.
"Level 40," Min-jun muttered. "Epic class… that's… unbelievable."
She followed his gaze. "He's dangerous. Stay calm."
A loudspeaker called out the next dungeon groups. Min-jun and his team were assigned to a mid-tier dungeon, one meant for experienced F-rank hunters.
"This is fine," Min-jun said quietly. "I need experience… and I need to grow stronger."
Inside the dungeon, the air was thick, oppressive, and heavy with magic residue. Bones littered the floor, old corpses barely decomposed. Min-jun's chest tightened.
*Perfect for raising more skeletons.*
He knelt down slowly. "Stay behind me," he whispered. The three skeletons materialized beside him.
[Skeletons Released]
Basic Skeleton x1
Warrior Skeleton x1
Elite Skeleton x1
The system window blinked.
[New Skill Unlocked: Skeleton Awareness]
[Allows detection of viable corpses in a dungeon.]
Min-jun's eyes widened slightly. *This… this changes everything.*
Ahead, two mutated goblins charged. The warrior skeleton blocked the first while the elite skeleton slammed the second to the ground. The basic skeleton stumbled, hitting awkwardly but adding distraction.
"Good," Min-jun murmured. *Focus… focus…*
They moved deeper. Suddenly, a massive shadow fell over them. Min-jun froze.
It was a hulking, skeletal creature unlike anything he had seen. Its bones gleamed black, etched with red runes. Its eyes burned blue-white.
[Monster Detected]
Level: 38
Class: Skeleton Overlord
Difficulty: High
Seo-ah stepped back, eyes wide. "What… is that?"
Min-jun swallowed hard. "I… I think… I might be able to summon it… if I'm careful."
His heart raced. This was beyond anything he had faced. The skeletons in storage stirred, as if sensing the power ahead.
*This is it… my first glimpse at the high tier. The ones above even Epic. If I can survive this, Commander Skeleton won't feel impossible anymore.*
He clenched his fists, the adrenaline surging through him. "Then… let's do this. Together."
Outside, the faint glimmer of watchers' eyes caught the shimmer of power rising from the dungeon.
The world was beginning to notice Kang Min-jun—common necromancer, rising steadily, silently, and dangerously.